Keloid And Hypertrophic Scar

Question: What to do with keloid or hypertrophic scar on rook piercing? So I got my rook (upper cartilage piercing) pierced a little more than two months ago and within the first month, I noticed this bump encircling the hole of the piercing. Compared to my unpierced rook, my pierced rook has that raised slightly reddish bump and is bigger/more swollen. However, it is not itchy and it doesn't hurt painfully. Just slightly tender when it is touched. I went to my piercer and he said that it looks to be the start of a keloid. He advised me to do sea salt soaks and use tea tree oil. So I've been doing this for a full week and still I do not see any results. I have to say that doing all that salt soaking and putting on tea tree oil has made the piercing site even more tender. Is this normal? It is also becoming drier, but I don't see any flaking. The size of the bump appears the same and it is not going away. What should I do? Should I continue with the soaks and tea tree oil? Have any of you had similar experiences? Thanks a lot.

Answer: Make sure you are doing the sea salt soaks 2-3 times per day. The tea tree oil could be the reason it is becoming dry, even when diluted. Piercees find it to be too strong and very drying. If you continue using the tea tree oil apply no more than twice daily. Vitamin E oil could also help. Just clean it normally and try not to play with it and it should go away with time. A few piercers I know recommend diluted lavender oil. Lavender oil promotes healing and lubricates the wound reducing tenderness. Apply a small amount with a cotton bud after cleaning then move the jewelry gently so it gets into the wound. Remove any excess with a tissue as leaving it on can cause the skin to become irritated.

Question: Cortisone injections for keloid hypertrophic scars? Have you had cortisone injections for keloid/hypertrophic scars? What was your result? Would you recommend it or would you go with scar revision surgery?

Answer: You can try the injections first and see if they work. It would be cheaper and less dangerous than a surgery. With my first c section I got a terrible keloid scar. With the second c section they cut that scar away, made the new suture line and the next day the doc came in and injected the steroid all around it. It worked beautifully. Putting the injections in weeks or months later does not work as well but some docs seem to think that it can work on some people. Most keloids will settle down in a year or so. They will flatten out and the redness and itching will go. But the scars will still be larger than necessary. Always do the most conservative treatments first. I would give it a try.

Question: What is the difference between a keloid and a hypertrophic scar?

Answer: hypertrophic scars are red, thick and raised and keloid scars grow beyond the original wound, can be painful or itchy. I have had a few keloid scars myself. For more info on scar treatment see the page below.

Question: How do i know if i have a keloid or a hypertrophic scar? i pierced my earlobes a month ago and now around each hole there's a flat round hard disk-like tissue inside them im no longer using metal earrings, im using acrylic plugs 10 gauge (2mm) its not noticeable when looked at but when you rub the earlobe you can feel it

Answer: Oh wow. Get rid of the acrylic, first of all. It's hard to tell what you have without seeing a picture, but I have a website you could look and, and just see which one it looks like more. Hypertrophic scaring: http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Hypert… Keloid: http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Keloid…

Question: help in piercing problem: Keloid or hypertrophic scar? I had an eyebrow piercing at the beginning of September 2006. 2-3 weeks ago I noticed a red small bump around the bottom hole. I went to my piercer and she advised me for sea salt soaks for 20 mins each night before sleep on top of regular cleaning. The bump didnt grow but it didn't shrink and today I went back to the piercer and she said it looks like a keloid. I have a few questions since I found too many contradicting advices on the web: 1) What is the difference between a keloid and hyperstrophic scar? 2) My piercer suggested aspirin paste but some people suggested Vitamin E or tea trea oil. Whats better for leaving no (or slight) scarring behind? 3) I want to take out the piercing permanently but I don't know when it would be better to so the damage is minimized to the piercing skin area. I could do it right now and then try the aspirin or oil treatment. Or should I try the treatments with the piercing and take it out after 2 weeks. do you suggest taking out the piercing first and then doing those treatments?

Answer: I had a similar problem with a cartilage piercing. A few days after I removed the piercing the "bump" went away and it has healed with no scar. I think that the treatment I gave it helped a lot in that department. I cleaned it twice a day with hydrogen peroxide, I massaged the site firmly and gently 4 to 5 times a day and applied mederma before and after the massage. (If you can't find Mederma you may use vitamin e) Also, do any of the scars you have ever gotton appear raised or discolored? If not, the chances of it being a keloid is quite small. Good luck!! And yes, take the piercing out before treatment. Sometimes they will heal leaving the piercing and sometimes they have to be repierced. Good luck!

Question: Keloid or Hypertrophic scar in my nostril piercing? How should I treat? Backstory: I had my nose pierced while out of state on June 21st and had no complications for 5 weeks. On the 5th week, the jewel fell out of the ring so I went to my normal piercer for a replacement. He told me the piercer used jewelry that was too small and the actual hole had started to shrink a little. He said he'd have to stretch it slightly to fit the normal 18g sized ring in and that it should be no problem. About a week after that I noticed a small bump forming. I was soaking my piercing in a sea salt solution once-twice daily and cleaning the site with antimicrobial soap and water twice daily. It quit growing for awhile but then 4 or so days ago it grew to about twice the size. It has again quit growing. I've tried applying Vitamin E oil (what my piercer recommended) over the past 3 or so days as well as the aspirin/water paste. The bump does not appear to be getting any smaller, but does seem to be getting a little softer? Also, today I scratched the bump a little too hard and it started to bleed. 1) Do you think this sounds like a keloid or a hypertrophic scar? 2) What types of OTC treatments would you recommend? 3) Is there anything I can do to prevent this bump from growing any larger? (It is currently just big enough to hide my nose ring from view if you look at me from the front.) Thank you in advance. :)

Answer: You don't want OTC or home treatments. If it is scar tissue, the sooner it is treated the better to prevent it from getting any bigger. Please see a dermatologist.

Question: Is it a Hypertrophic scar or a keloid scar? I gt scratched by my cat. It was only a tiny scratch. Now i have a hard red raised lump there (about the size of a spot). It hasn't grown or anything, in fact it got smaller when the area affected was injured. I was scratched about a year ago. Plus, does Vitamain E help reduce it?

Answer: Hypertrophic and keloid are different names for the same thing! Link below proves this and gives some good info including treatment.

Question: Tragus piercings: Keloid or Hypertrophic scar? To start, I'm all for caring consistently for my piercings. Initially, I used just regular "Coast" brand soap to clean my Tragus, as I did for my lobes. Unfortunately, in January, a bump began to form on the back, and it became increasingly sore. Eventually, I managed to "pop" this "thing" growing on the back of my ear, and all was well for 2 months. It seems this bump is back with a vengeance. I have now taken the proper care steps, and have begun cleaning my piercing 3 times a day, first with dial antibacterial soap, then with a Q-tip dipped in tea tree oil. I personally am terrified to have some malignant keloid festering behind my ear, but am doing my best to take the appropriate and necessary steps to deal with it. My hope is that it is merely hypertrophic scarring. Is there any sure way to tell? Should I continue cleaning for a week and see if it the bump slowly disappears? I've only cleaned it twice in this way, but it seems to be doing some good. Any info would be helpful!

Answer: it is quite typical for it to be a scarring and if so will decrease in time. I have had the same issue as with many others I know with the same piercing. If you are still worried about it a Dr or a good piercer will know however going to the one that did it will more than likely result in him or her telling you it was scar tissue just so they don't look bad. but again my general assumption is that is is scar tissue. That will hurt because it will be placing pressure on the piercing. I would avoid the tree oil because I dont believe its a sterile product and continue useing the dial. A sea salt mixture is also great to clean with but I would soak it in that not wash it with although it will not be comfortable

Question: is this a keloid or hypertrophic scar? http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/monkeegeek13/DSCF1631-1.jpg does anyone know what this is and how i could get rid of it? it occured after i cut my tongue down the middle a little bit with my peircing.

Answer: the pink bundle of collagen indicates it is keloid. Keloids like hypertrophic scar always forms out of injury to skin and particular when it is formed out of piercing, it should be taken as keloid. The reason being it forms in two places, one in or behind ears when ear lobes are pierced or on tongue or other places where they are pierced. I said ear, because for those who have keloids after piercing of ear also have one significant complaint, which perhaps you also might be having. That is, such person cannot wear anything in the ear other than gold. If anything other than gold is worn they tend to have the pus and other formation with pain in ear hole. All cases of Keloid respond well in such cases with Stannum Metallicum 30 in homeopathy. Constitutional medicine in many cases are Calcaria Carb. You need to remove the piercing and use a golden needle for the pierce if you want to keep it going. Hope this helps. Medicines should be taken in consultation with homeo doctor.

Question: Best scar creams and silicone sheets for keloids,hypertrophic scars.....? Hi, Did anyone get good results for using a scar cream and silicone sheet on their keloid at the same time? .I want to rub scar cream on my keloids(on my leg) first before applying the silicone sheet but I'm not sure if the silicone sheet could be used with the scar cream. Which one do you prefer cica care silicone sheet or scaraway silicone sheet ? .Can you give some names of the best cheap scar cream please that is a cream not a gel. I'm using bio oil for a few days now because I don't have anything better.Does anyone believe that keloids could stop growing and stop itching one day? .On a keloid forum they call it mature keloids. When I was young I got a tiny scar when I cut myself and I touch it with my dirty hand.The doctor called it a keloid but it doesn't even grow or itch.It could of been a hypertrophic scar ?.I only learn about hypertrophic scars a week ago LOL. Thanks

Answer: I've been using vitamin e oil on my recent scar as well as bio oil, i try to alternate and the pigment is already starting to reappear! It's only been 5 days since the scab fell off. Where I had stitches, the scar is raised and itchy so i've just started with the silicone sheets. You can use the cream/oil alternately and not at the same time as the silicone sheets as this would affect the product from working properly. So I'd apply some cream or oil leave it half an hour or so then clean the scar and apply the silicone sheet. When you first start using the sheets, you use it for 4 hours and the gradually increase to 8 then 10 until you can get a maximum of 24 hours. I don't know which will work best so im using the oils and the silicone sheets but not at the same time! I've found that the sheets make the scar itchy but its probably all part of the healing process. I chose cica-care cos they were the original inventors so I want to see how good their product is i don't know about scar creams though cos im in the uk and we only have oily stuff. Tea tree-oil is supposed to be good for keloids also, so there are quite a few products but it's just finding out which one works.I hope it works and hope this helps...good luck! Hypertrophic scars are slightly raised and red, keloids on the other hand grow outside the scar tissue and are larger than hypertrophic scars. Sounds like a hypertrophic scar to me but some docs/nurses tend to use them in the same context.